All The Cars - A Timeline

"Tripper" (tripe46) 11/29/2018 at 15:30 • Filed to: None

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So here it is, the post that no one asked for! The detailed history of my cars. you will slightly chuckle at certain points, you’ll think “what the fuck?” a lot, and you’ll probably say what an idiot/asshole/dumb ass a few times . I’d love to hear your individual automotive timelines too! In detail or in short. 

1996 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6 in a maroon color - handed down - (not my actual vehicle pictured)

1997 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6 in a dark blue color - handed down when my parents wanted to trade the 96 - (not my actual vehicle pictured)

2002 Mazda Protege 5 in a bright red that may have a name - (not my actual vehicle pictured)

I traded the Blue explorer and some cash for it. The salesman jumped into the explorer after I traded it, floored it in revers and SMOKED one of the other cars in their lot right in front of me! Hilarious. This was totaled in a head on collision shortly after I graduated from high school. Everyone was ok.

2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V in silver (not my actual vehicle pictured)

I hit the lottery with the insurance payout from the Mazda, got more than I paid for it! I really wanted a Cooper S, but they were brand new and going for at least sticker which was $ 10k more than I paid for this piece of poop. Honestly it was a cool car, and it got me though the first part of college. I had some overheating issues combined with one of the spark plugs being pinched shut. I had it to the dealer 3 times and they couldn’t figure out why it kept happening. So after they fixed it the last time I traded it in. (this issue was eventually a recall I believe. Something to do with an impeller breaking and ending up inside the engine...(Another Oppo told me about this)

2005 Subaru Impreza WRX in silver

This was my first brand new car I completely financed it...Nothing down on the same day that my first dog had to be put down (The sweetest girl, a black lab named Blue). If I had a shithead kid phase (and I did) this car was 90% of it. I beat the hell out of it, smacked it up a month after I got it, and put on all of the typical, terrible boy racer mods on it. Tein lowering springs, black Rota wheels, AEM short ram intake, Apexi fart can catback, Turbo XS RFL blow off valve. To add insult to injury I felt the need to put the stickers from all of those parts in the typical toolbag places on the car. I’m well known around these parts for scoffing at shitty mods, so I’d like you all to know where I came from and that I’m a hypocrite. I put nearly 50k miles on this car in 18 months and rolled the (underwater) loan into the next car...

I know...IDIOT

2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi in silver

I bought this one very slightly used (just under 6k miles) I didn’t mod it because I didn’t need to. This car was (still is?) faster than fuck. Way too much juice for a young man or at least this young man . To make matters worse, a month after I bought mine my best friend bought one. The following was one of mayhem that culminated with my 3rd speeding ticket and my buddy crashing into a tree (the tree went all the way up to the scoop and the engine was nearly in the front seat) car totaled, friend ok. I would have this car 4 more months and get two more tickets before I hit a deer late one night. The insurance shop did a terrible job with the repair I actually had to have them re repair/ paint it or the dealer where I was trading it in was going to hack $2k off of the trade in price. Needless to say the WRX and STi era of Tripper was a tough time/low point/dark place in my life.

2002 BMW M3 in Phoenix Yellow

I was eight thousand dollars under water on the loan for the STi. I was sitting up late one night hashing out the financials with my father. He said, “son I’ve gotta tell you that this is a stupid purchase financially. You’ve got to stop the train of keeping a car for a year or so and then rolling the loan into the next one.” I agreed with him saying that I felt like I’d keep this one as it was my first dream car, color and all. He said, “stupid as it may be this is a hell of a car for anyone let alone a 22 year old kid, you’ve just been promoted at work and you’ll probably figure it out if you really want it. Even if you fuck it up you’ve got plenty of time to learn and recover from a purchase like this”. So I did it. I financed 8k over the price of the car for a used M3 at the ripe old age of 22 (back in 07 you could still borrow money like that haha) You already know the rest, this conversation happened just short of 12 years ago and I still have that car . Both of my parents always say “it’s like you grew up overnight after you bought that car.”

After about a year of owning it Circuit City (my employer) announced that it would be closing it’s doors... I went 9 months being un-employed with an $800+ car payment in addition to rent etc...I remember having sleep for dinner a few nights during that time, haha . I did everything I could to make the payments. There were a few weeks where I walked around different office complexes offering my IT services for the day for $100. I built a nice little side hustle during that time that I continue today. For these reasons and more this car is near and dear to my heart.

1996 Ford Explorer Limited V8 AWD in a tealish color (not my actual vehicle pictured)

I bought this as a beater/work vehicle to keep miles off the M3 and not look like a snob showing up at clients houses. I had it for a year or so and needed to replace a wheel bearing. Instead of fixing it I sold it for $400 because I needed some quick cash for a snowboarding trip.

1987 Ford Ranger

My first car with a name “Tan Stan”. I bought him for $1200 and had it for around 3 months until white smoke started pouring out the back. I wanted to get it fixed but couldn’t find anyone who wanted to do the work! Every shop kept saying it’s not worth it time to get a new car. “I just got the thing man!”. My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I loved the thing. It was such bouncy fun.

2013 VW Jetta 2pointslow in Tornado red (not my actual vehicle pictured)  

If there was a car that I truly hated this was it. It wasn’t even a bad car, but it represents a tough time in many of my social relationships. I only bought it to drive a ridiculous commute to a job that I hated. I was so angry at one point I booted in the passenger door! I ditched that shit job for a much better and closer opportunity. A week into my new job I ditched the car too. The Jetta was brand new when I bought it. I put 18k miles on it in 10 months and traded it in. The mileage combined with putting my foot into the passenger door had me taking a bath on the trade, but I traded it on something really neat!

2008 BMW M3 Sedan in Jerez Black

Let me start off by saying these cars are the bees knees! No matter your gender this car will make “it” move . It sounds incredible, the steering is laser accurate, it’s beautiful and you can fit all your people and things in it. I was the third owner at 53000 miles (MISTAKE). Fun as it was this car broke me financially. It made me grow to hate it. Toward the end I was just driving it around like any old 3 series waiting for the next thing to go wrong. I owned it 18 months and it beat me for more than 5 grand not including repairs covered under warranty and the $15 quart of oil it ate every two fillups. I decided I wanted something I didn’t have to worry about so I bought an automatic Audi:)

2016 Audi S3 in Sepang Blue

This car is well documented here, so I’ll keep this one short. I bought it brand new and absolutely loved it. Easily as quick as the E90, fantastic on gas, and a ton of fun to drive in any weather. My apologies for the cliche... I loved it, but wasn’t in love with it. My friends called the car “Video Games” because that’s what it’s like to drive. It’s so easy to drive this car fast that it takes away from the experience. I wasn’t really in the market to sell it but I wasn’t planning on keeping it forever. A younger colleague got a big promotion and wanted to buy it from me. His offer was fair, so I sold it. I meant to hold the money for as long as it took to find the perfect 911, 2002, E39, or a couple of other cars on the shortlist.

2001 Ford Ranger in Vermilion Red

“Red Ted” he’s called. I bought him because I wanted/needed a pickup in tandem with the Audi. Just like “Tan Stan” I fuckin’ love the thing. Such an honest cheap little truck (event though he wasn’t cheap to get). I have put a ton of work into the truck. I insulated the entire interior (still have the roof to do). Installed a full modern stereo with bluetooth, dash cam, backup cam, better interior lighting, under hood lighting, power locks, power mirrors, keyless entry, remote starter, and a handsome wood console. Recently I fitted a set of B ilstein shocks and 31" BFG K02s. I plasti dipped the grill and wiper arms which came out great. I’ve got wood armrests to match the console in the works. I love working on it and I love driving it, call me crazy.

Everyone has seen enough of the 1502 and it’s not in my driveway yet, but my love for the Ranger and the impromptu sale of the Audi are what put me in a position to get it and I’m thankful for that. To quote another cliche “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” and each time I’ve ended up with a truly cool car it has been in this fashion.

Spanfeller is a twat > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:36

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my car history:

MB  R170-still has

Jeep WK2-doesn’t

Kia CK-does have

E90M3 > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:37

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I was the third owner at 53000 miles (MISTAKE)

Yeah, mistake. I’m the second owner and I got mine with just under 16k. Apart from the TPAs, been really good to me. Also, both our first cars were Explorers .

Tripper > E90M3 11/29/2018 at 15:38

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My best friend says every once and a while, “I know you think you’re a bimmer guy, but you’re really a Ford guy...just think about that.”

Tripper > Spanfeller is a twat 11/29/2018 at 15:39

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How long have you had the SLK, and does it have 3 pedals?

E90M3 > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:41

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That might be true, given what you drive now. Although, on the other hand, you might like driving BMWs more, but you like paying for Fords more.

I also can’t believe you were able to finance 8k of negative equity on the M3. My experience was quite the contrary. I wanted to put 23k down, which was 40% and taxes, and I was still getting turned down from some places. 

Spanfeller is a twat > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:41

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It’s been in my family for 21 years, and no, it’s an auto :/

Tripper > E90M3 11/29/2018 at 15:44

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The interest rate wasn’t even that bad considering (6%) This was January of 07 so just before it got really bad.

E90M3 > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:46

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The interest rate on my loan was right around 4.5%. 

Dru > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:48

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Nice job owning that lovely M3 for so long.

I started driving my dad’s 96 Silverado Z71. Great truck, but it was made clear it wasnt mine. He kept it for like 15+ years.

Next was a 94 4Runner, green of course, needed head gaskets right after buying and was kind of a money pit (as Toyotas go), but was mostly reliable for 50-60 Thousand miles as I beat on it and duct taped it back together.

Next was a 92 4Runner that I might have owned for 2 years. Nice enough and reliable enough until the trans crapped the bed. Sold it for what I could get.

*Interlude: 2008 Suzuki GSXR 600, bought new. I was young and dumb. Lost my license for speeding, lost my arse financially because I didn’t understand that I was basically sold a bike on a credit card, not traditional finance. I had to grow up fast after this.

2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. I effing loved this car and kept it for 7 years and about 70 thousand miles. It was like a giant leather recliner strapped to a V8 motor. As it aged, I never had the cash to fix it properly, or do the mods I wanted to it (lift, etc).

1985 Toyota 4Runner, okay so theres a pattern here. My dad bought me this for my 25th birthday. It’s been an utter basket case, but when it runs, I adore its simplicity.

2005 BMW 330i ZHP, this was my first foray into a small car and a performance one at that.  Minus a couple of trifling repairs, its really been solid, until the weather cooled off here.  Now I fear it threatens to break me, but I will do the best I can until I don’t want to anymore.  So far, love this car the most.

ihm96 > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:49

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My history goes:

1963 Chevrolet Corvair: I was sharing a cvt impreza with my brother and couldn’t stand it plus he never filled the tank. This car was awesome, though it had a little bit of dodgy rust repair underneath so I drove for the summer and put it on ebay

2000 Z3 Coupe: One of my dream cars, had a couple issues with it mainly the subframe lol but I love it so much

1998 Corolla: this car had 13 owners, cost me 500$ and was reliable as hell aside from the brakes tendency to lock up under spirited driving that eventually culminated in me skidding into a guardrail on chresheim valley drive when I was driving a bit to hard in the rain. I loved this car purely for how freeing it was to drive a car that it didnt matter if it got scratched or dinged

1995 530i: Bought to replace the corolla after I hit the guardrail. Its so comfy and the exhuast I put on it makes the V8 sound like a racecar. I currently have this and the Z3 with no plans to get rid of either

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:50

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1. The ultimate vehicle of all time, the Chevrolet Colorado V8.

The end.

Tripper > ihm96 11/29/2018 at 15:55

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“I loved this car purely for how freeing it was to drive a car that it didnt matter if it got scratched or dinged”

This is undervalued in the enthusiast community, one of the reasons I love my Ranger so much. It’s also one of the reasons I grew to hate my E90. It became an anchor that I was afraid to have any fun with.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 15:55

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3 Ford explorers? Fuck lol

Tripper > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 11/29/2018 at 15:56

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Can argue with that if it’s your one and only. How long have you had it?

Tripper > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 11/29/2018 at 15:57

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Yea, lol and I actually had great luck with all of them! Even the beater I bought it right as it had received transmission #3 it was dumb to sell it.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:01

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5 mid-chassis ferdtrerk, non-Honda/toyota Japanese picks, and a bunch of dodgy Germans? I endorse your list, more or less. Even provisionally the Germans.

Tripper > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/29/2018 at 16:06

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I’ve got one Honda but it’s a “motorcycle” 2015 Grom

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:09

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In no particular order:

My 98 Saturn SC2, was the first car i ever purchased on my own. Yes i removed the dealer-installed chrome pinstripping. the dealer i bought it from used that chrome vinyl on their entire pre-owned fleet in one way or another

My 98 Dodge Dakota, This was given to me by my grandfather and was my first car. absolute base model

Our 2008 Chevy Cobalt, Currently has a misfire on cylinder four and won’t pass emissions, So it just sits in our driveway

Our 2004 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition, as seen on a beach in the outer banks.

and the truck we got to replace the cobalt since we need two vehicles. my dads old 06 Honda Ridgeline. I actually learned how to drive in this truck and my moms old honda odessey, its been in the family since new and my dad sold it to me for like half of what its actually worth. it currently has 223K miles on it and has only needed the starter and alternator replaced along with regular oil changes, brakes, and tires

ihm96 > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:10

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The best was leaving concerts/sixers games when Id be battling S550s,7 Series, and Range Rovers for position and would always win because I had way less to lose lol. Any tiny scratch on their car would cost more than my heap was worth. It was a bit dangerous though because it was so worthless to me and so underpowered that I drove it a little too hard/recklessly. I almost crashed it locking up the brakes a couple times before I actually did lol. The damage wasnt bad tho it was just a dent and a new turn signal, no driving issues

Party-vi > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:11

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That’s quite a list. Mine is fairly short:

‘49 CJ3A, purchased in ‘03 while I was in high school from a then-sloshed Kentuckian. It was the “Little Swamp Bitch” and was retired from mud racing. I spent the better part of a decade slowly restomodding the entire thing.

Next was my 1988 Cherokee 4x4, purchased cheap by my parents in 2005 for me to absolutely ruin while I was working on the Willys. I did all the dumb kid stuff to this: wheels, HD suspension, full exhaust, full sound proofing. I miss this thing so much. Had the awful Peugeot transmission that really didn’t give me any problems. Wrecked it in the rain in 2013.

My (‘04? ‘05?) V-Star 1100 was a short-lived thing. I only had it for like 6 or 7 months until I sold it to buy my E46 after I junked the Cherokee. It was black. It was fun. I don’t have any pictures that I can remember.

Purchased to replace the Cherokee was my beloved 2002 330Ci. These things are 1) awesome and 2) expensive to maintain correctly. This was an automatic but was an absolute blast to drive anywhere, and would run circles around my ancient Cherokee. I would own another one of these in a heartbeat.

Bam. Current ride. 2017.5 Mazda 6 with a manual transmission. This is the only year to get a manual trans and heated seats with navigation (top tip, you can add navigation to any 3rd gen Mazda 6 with an SD card slot.) The 2.5L in this fall on it’s face between 2k - 3k rpm. Hopefully this will be remedied with a OV tune soon.

Tripper > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 11/29/2018 at 16:13

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My boss has a ridge line and I kinda fuckin love it haha. It has the coolest compartments and is all the pickup 99.9% of people ever need.

+1 on the explorer and Dakota too

Tripper > ihm96 11/29/2018 at 16:15

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Hahaha that is the best! Go ahead and hit me ya bastid, I’ll pocket that insurance check and keep driving. A friend of mine had an old Legacy like that. He got hit the car was still derivable  and since it wasn’t his fault he took the $1600 check from insurance and put a new set of wheels on his BRZ

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:15

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My history:

2010 Hyundai Elantra. Technically owned by my parents. My older brother learned to drive in it. Then my older sister. Then me. I drove it to school and work for the last two years of high school, then it came to college with me as I was the first kid to go to a school more than a half hour from home. It was a fantastic college car for three years of grocery/beer runs, sitting for weeks on end, then going for a three hour drive home whenever needed. In five years, I put around 30k on it- also during my tenure as the primary user, it served as a vehicle for my younger brother’s learning how to drive, and finally my sister, taught by yours truly. As you can imagine, five kids learning to drive in the same car generates an enormous level of wear and tear- the body work to bring it back into acceptable shape for sale by a dealer would destroy any hope of profit. It now likely sits in a salvage yard. 98k miles, eight years old- still in warranty, a life taken before its time at the hands of poor visibility, excess speed, and lack of appropriate following distance by... someone other than myself!

1996 VW Golf. This is by all rights mine. It is loud, smells like oil (but doesn’t burn or leak any!), shifts hard, pops out of 2nd when cold, has a mishmash of interior parts, rear suspension out of a pickup, invalid headlights, gets terrible fuel economy, constantly has the CEL illuminated, will never pass a smog test again, and is overall an objectively bad car. But, I love it all the same and intend to keep it as long as I can.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:15

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That’s somewhat more interesting than my list...

1989 Buick SkyHawk T-Type - scrapyarded due to rust

1995 Ford Escort - kept until 2008. No, it was not even close to stock. Traded on the ‘04 Regal for $500 without a speck of rust on it.

2000 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 Sport - leased it, returned it

1994-1996 Ford Escort qty 5? 7? - all sent to the scrapyard with unibody failure or damage

1986 Dodge Daytona TurboZ - +1 rally springs on it, scrapped due to unibody rot

1986 Dodge Daytona TurboZ C/S - I’m being buried in this car. Permanent garage, not for sale at any price, ever .

1986 Dodge Daytona TurboZ - bought for $500, didn’t like it as much as the C/S, sold for $1500

2003 Buick Regal Abboud GS - scrapped due to rail rot, not cradle rot. Surprised the hell out of me too.

2004 Buick Regal Abboud GSE (White) - this unicorn went to auction; core support and trunk both rotting out. I got close to 9 years out of it.

2015 Buick Regal T-Type (P2) - leased, goes back end of month

1995 Acura Integra GS-R - I’m owner 2! Needs major body work still, but has complete records and clean Carfax. This is the GS-RAWR. Always for sale at the ‘BaT price’ of ‘50% of the highest ITR sale.’

2012 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS (997.2) - Onyxia. You touch, you die. Probable permanent garage; depends how this design exercise with the 991.1 turbo fuel system goes.

I’m half debating seeing about buying Purple People Eater (client’s madhouse Evo X with FQ400 goodies) off the insurance, but the bro-dozer broke the rear axle which is an actual FIA homologated RalliArt part and the d/s rear floorpan cracked.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:17

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2002 Trailblazer LT 4WD: W hile it wasn’t technically mine, I drove it for the first year of having me license. I didn’t want it at the time because I was dumb and wanted something cool, that turned in to:

1995 4Runner: Technically my first own car, still have it. Still in a love/hate relationship. Should have kept the Trailblazer.

2016 Fiesta ST: It was a fun piece of shit. Should have gotten a GTI.

2018 GTI SE: I’ve never been more satisfied with a car. I kind of understand what you are saying about the S3 being too easy to drive fast, though. 

Tripper > Party-vi 11/29/2018 at 16:17

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I love those XJs every time I see one I wonder why they stopped making them exactly like that. I know and love the E46 game. Two friends have Mazda 6's and they are an unbeatable value and they look great.

Still got the CJ?

Tripper > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks 11/29/2018 at 16:20

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Haha damn that last one is a BIG jump haha. Great list!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:20

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yeah i love it, it needs new tires though so hopefully i can find a deal after christmas. its been all over country, is great for tailgating cause the in-bed trunk can be used as a locking cooler (so dont have to worry about open container laws) and all its really missing is a tow hitch and a bed cover. My wife isnt a huge fan of it though cause with my son in the back seat she doesnt have a lot of passenger leg room but I love it.

Party-vi > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:22

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I’ve still got the CJ - it’ll hopefully never get sold, and it’s really easy not to wreck it if I don’t rebuild the transfer case...

Tripper > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 11/29/2018 at 16:24

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“2016 Fiesta ST: It was a fun piece of shit.”

Pretty much my impression. but a friend owns one and really loves it.  

WilliamsSW > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:28

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May 1984- right after I turned 16, I bought a 1965 Cutlass that had 24k miles on it for $1850 . 330/4V, 2 speed auto. A VERY strong runner - the guy I sold it to had a ‘67 Cutlass convertible, and he asked me several times if it had a 400 and not a 330. Looked like this, but with cheap bias ply blackwalls and standard wheel covers :

But, I really wanted a convertible - and a guy at school was trying to sell a ‘65 Skylark convertible. Convinced my dad to let me do it, for $24 00- car was gorgeous, but a mechanical nightmare. Wrecked it in November 1984, but made $200 on the insurance!

Bought a 1972 Monte Carlo for $1650 - 350/350, but a 2 barrel. Delivered pizzas in it in college, which took its toll, but it was reliable. Sold it and went carless for a while.

Then bought a 1974 Dodge Dart. $650. Piece of shit sky blue Dodge . Sold it after about 4 months and went carless for another year or so.

Then a 1984 Mercury Topaz. Think I paid about $3500. My only memory of this car was of it spitting out a half-shaft while I was merging onto I-74 in Urbana, IL. Fun times. Graduated from college with this thing, and went to work for GM. While driving a Mercury. And parking it in the salaried lot at a union plant. Time to go shopping!

Ordered a 1990 Sunbird LE Turbo convertible. Brand new, $14,100 (GM discount baby!) Black, white vinyl, 5-speed.

Bought a 1964 Olds Dynamic 88 coup e - white with a red interior, and no rust, for $1600 . 394/2V, and a Roto-Hydramatic transmission. Fun car - great on the highway, and a gorgeous interior. Awful brakes though. Notice me not mentioning selling the last 3? Yeah, I was 22 and owned 3 cars. I eventually sold the Mercury, then the Olds.

The Pontiac turned out to be hot garbage once the warranty ran out (turbochargers and head gaskets, oh my!), so after 5 years, I ordered a Saturn SC2, with upgraded wheels, stereo and a sunroof, and that’s about it. Car rattled a lot, but it weighed nothing and was a lot of fun, actually!

Then, I was in sales, so I bought an adult car - a 1996 Ford Taurus egg LX. Put 70k on it in 4 years, despite not driving it to work (because train). I know they get a lot of hate, but mine had the DOHC engine (200 HP, whoo hoo!), and was great on the highway.

After I finished my MBA, I ordered the E46 in 2000, then added the Pathfinder in 2006 as a ‘winter beater’, and added a 2015 Lexus GS (lease), which I replaced with the E550 this past May. I don’t think I’ve put 150 miles *total* on the BMW and Nissan in the last 4 months - it’s all Mercedes now.

Next step is to upgrade the E46 to something more fun , hopefully next spring/summer - and ditch the Nissan.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:28

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A series of family and friend owned cars, notably a 1981 Nissan G60 Patrol and a 1974 VW Transporter;

1989 Holden Astra SL/E: purchased from destitute parents for a song, rebadged Nissan Pulsar hatchback with auto and velour...

1994 Diahatsu Charade TE: first new car, financed at 12%, manual, quite a hoot.

1987 Lada Niva: got tired of loans and wanted a 4x4, possibly the best worst car I’ve ever owned.

1978 Land Rover Series 3 cab chassis: ex-farm ute that the PO had shoved a Rover P6 engine into, roared like a lion, drank petrol like there was no tomorrow (23 litres per 100km) but it was a Land Rover.

1981 Land Rover Series 3 Stage 1 utility: the most stupid car I’ve ever owned...swapped the Lada and cab chassis for it, Series 3 with Range Rover engine and transmission but S3 drum brakes. PO had stroked engine out to 4.4 litres and unrestricted it so it went like stink, I converted it to hardtop, sold it to save my life...

1992 Land Rover Defender 200tdi 2 door hardtop: took me around Oz in 1998 and the longest I’d own a vehicle to that point and one that I still miss...

1993 Suzuki Sierra soft top: gifted to me by a mate going overseas, repaired the rust and fixed the popped head gasket, drove it for a bit and then sold it for $1800 profit...

1981 Range Rover 2 door: bought it from a mate due to a stupid agreement which he then exploited by hammering the thing, struggled with getting it sorted then gave up on it, dragged it round for 15 years before gifting it to a family member last year.

2001 VW Transporter dual cab chassis syncro: purchased new, sight unseen and undriven over the phone, wanted a four door AWD ute and this had a huge tray plus seating for five real people, the most perfect practical car I have bought to date. Getting long in the tooth now...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:32

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Four years this October.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:40

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People that get the ones without issues really love them, but it truly seems like a 50/50 car, and got one of the bad 50% cars.

That all being said, now that I have the GTI, I don’t really know what I saw in it. The GTI feels special, the ST didn’t. The rate at which you can go into a corner is insane with even the crappy stock all seasons. 

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:43

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I like these kind of posts, even if no one asks for them.

I had fewer cars to discuss in mine.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:49

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Not so much, when you understand just how insanely fast everything on that list actually is.

The SkyHawk was a T-Type - an 80's warm-hatch. As long as you didn’t mind doing the valve cover gasket every oil change, it was around 180HP and less than 3000lbs. Probably less than 2000lbs with how rusty it was.

The Escorts exceeded 100HP/1000lbs - before getting cut down to 2000lbs (class minimum.) Geared for acceleration, they could do 0-60 in under 4 seconds if you could find traction (top speed gear limited to about 105MPH.)

The Daytona has turned an honest 60' skidpad over 1.0g on DOTs and when last driven in anger, was about an easy 50HP from being in striking distance of Corvette lap times on road. The handling is extreme enough that it gave professional instructors serious pause.

Both Regals were 3800 Series II supercharged and used as development mules. I’m not telling you how I know the aerodynamic lift point on them is 112MPH until I’m certain the statute of limitations has expired. I will admit the unicorn was conservatively estimated at 400ft/lbs at 9.5psi and both had the 108MPH governor removed.

The ‘15 Regal was also used for development and analysis work. With none of the engine internals a real conversion gets and only the mild transmission fixes (the input delay and the 2-3 gap ,) it did 0-60 in 5.3 seconds with tons of tire smoke on borrowed DOTs. And yes, it’s FWD not AWD.

The GS-RAWR is still being developed but the engine and transmission came to me with less than 100k and with perfect compression. Since I will probably end up selling it, not much tampering being done.

So yeah. The C4GTS is pretty mild by comparison . If I do anything to it, it’s going to be relatively small bolt-on stuff. I don’t want to damage the resale if I decide to upgrade to a GT3 later. But if the parts go on the way I think they do, it should get a nice bump from 408HP to ~450HP. Depends on the cost and electrical headaches (there’s some sensor questions.)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 16:50

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Haha ever tried to add up the total amount of money you have spent on cars over the years? Not including gas and repairs and such, just purchasing and losses via depreciation and bad loans and such? Sure sounds like a lot here.

My list has just been simple with my Green 1999 Honda Civic automatic sedan, Blue 2001 Mazda Miata, and White 2006 Subaru STi. The Honda was pretty reliable transportation that I bought for $900, drove for 5 years/80k miles, and sold for $1350. The Miata I paid $5k for and drove it (so far) for 4 years/80k miles and is worth negative dollars seeing as its both rusty and broken. And the STi I have had for just a year and 17k miles that I bought for $13.5k. Will be looking for another Miata soon and will probably keep that forever. No idea how long I will keep the STi but I am just enjoying it so far.

Tripper > WilliamsSW 11/29/2018 at 17:39

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Damn I know that cutlass isn’t your exact one but that is saweeet!

Tripper > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 11/29/2018 at 17:41

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This is an awesome list! I’m an American so I don’t get to see half of those cars ever.

Tripper > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 11/29/2018 at 17:43

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I’m kind of stumped that I’ve never owned a Golf of any flavor. I’ve driven a ton of them and they’re fantastic and way nicer than anything they compete with. Your green one is easily my favorite color.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 17:44

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You got this idea from Hubnut, didn’t you? :P

I have nowhere near as interesting a history as all of you...because I’ve only owned 2 cars.

1. My first car, a 2002 Subaru Impreza 2.5TS wagon in Savanna Green Metallic. Bought in 2008 for around $7k used from a pretty sketchy guy. Had 111,000kms on it and had 180,000kms when I sold it in 2013. It always had odd little niggles, like the rear hatch constantly thinking it was open (dash light, dome light, etc) despite it being securely latched and the poorly-installed-by-previous-owner security system going off constantly because of this. (Poorly installed as in the electronics box for it under the dash had the ‘This side up’ side facing down...). I affectionately called it ‘Beastie’ and still miss it a LOT. Nothing would stop it in the snow AT ALL. Despite having the headgasket-prone 2.5L NA motor, I never had any issues with it mechanically. I had to eventually sell it when rust got the better of the frame / subframes and it wasn’t financially feasible to repair. It was my first car with a manual and I had had...maybe five 10-15 minute lessons from friends before I bought it, so driving it home alone with barely any stick-shift experience in rush-hour Halifax traffic from the garage it was inspected at to my university was an interesting experience! I would love to find another like it some day in good shape...

2. My current car is my oft-mentioned 2009 Hyundai Accent 3-door hatchback in Charcoal Gray Pearl/Midnight Gray Metallic, affectionately known as ‘Humdrum’. This is my current DD and I really love the car. It’s basic as all hell with a manual trans, with no Cruise Control, no ABS, no ESC, no power windows, no power locks, no keyless entry, no power mirror...no ANYTHING! And, that’s the way I like it! It’s refreshing to have to do everything yourself! It’s a trooper and has been DEAD reliable other then the usual maintenance stuff. I bought it used with 54,000kms just before I sold the Impreza for the grand total of $6900 all-in (taxes, etc included) at the local Mazda dealership where it had sat unwanted on the lot for just over a year because nobody wants a car with no options anymore - it felt nice to finally give it a new home in that sense! It currently has 149500kms and, with my undercoatings every year, is showing no signs of rust other anywhere other than a LITTLE surface rust I already had touched up. That was underneath where the front wheels kick debris up that sandblasts under the rocker panels just in front of the rear wheels (I live on a gravel road). She’s also the first car I’ve decided to try working on and modding myself, like the foglight install I did awhile back. I’m hoping she stays with me for a long time yet as she shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon!

Tripper > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 11/29/2018 at 17:54

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That first pic is a great one also +1 for ranger!

Tripper > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 11/29/2018 at 17:56

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Haha absolutely not! I know know the deets on the E46. I bought it for 35k (loan for 43k lol)  and the receipts total just a touch over 18k in 12 years. That does not include fuel or insurance.

Tripper > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/29/2018 at 17:59

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“ You got this idea from Hubnut, didn’t you? :P”

I’ve had the post in drafts for a while but yes I have seen it from other oppos.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 18:00

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Yeah, even though that is not my Saab in the picture, it could have been, as I did use it to travel with my hand-built wood-and-canvas canoe that was also green.

One of my favorite pictures is of me and my brothers leaning on the 900 in our youthful states, but I didn’t care to post that on Oppo.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 18:08

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I don’t plan on this being my last. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 19:28

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Ahh and that was one of the “good” purchases seeing as you have held on to it at least! But I suppose that is one way to learn haha.

Tripper > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 11/29/2018 at 20:35

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My outlook is, you can always make more money but you can’t get more time, so buy the car! Within reason of course 

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 20:37

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Find the only true m anual car that I’ve ever owned!!

Tripper > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/29/2018 at 20:48

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Cayman or escort?

WilliamsSW > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 21:30

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If you took mine, swapped out the wheels and tires, did some minor paint work, and put a dual exhaust on it, it would have looked exactly like that.

WilliamsSW > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 21:38

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And here is what the other 3 old cars looked like. Monte Carlo had different wheel covers, my Skylark wasn’t a GS, and my 88 was actually a lot * nicer* then the pictures.  

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 21:41

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It’s o ne of those!!

Tripper > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/29/2018 at 21:49

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I knew it wasn’t the Alfa or the rarri. So escort?

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 21:54

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Correct! I actually bought it to prepare for a manual Ferrari.  Only owned it for 3 months.

Didn’t work out that way.

Tripper > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/29/2018 at 21:56

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Booya! My logic was “ok, pdk cayman? Yea still a fun car. Manual escort, def fun my wife had one when we first met...but an automatic escort!? Judging by the rest of your cars it didn’t make sense.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Tripper 11/29/2018 at 22:12

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Unfortunately, it wasn’t even a PDK. It was a Tiptronic (pre-2009) . The shifting was frustratingly slow but I grew used to it.

At the time, I wasn’t confident of my manual skill and it was to be my only car for about 3 years.